What's On Sunday

By KATHRYN SHATTUCK

Published: October 30, 2011

8 P.M. (13, 49) AMERICA IN PRIMETIME Television as a lens on American society is the focus of this new four-part series, which looks at some character archetypes -- the man of the house, the misfit and the crusader -- that have remained a staple of shows for generations, and in the process have both mirrored and helped to shape the national character. First up: ''Independent Women,'' which reflects on the transformation of women from model housewives to complex and even proudly controversial characters. Among the actors and writers interviewed are Mary Tyler Moore and James L. Brooks (''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''); Candice Bergen (''Murphy Brown''); Liz Brixius and Linda Wallem (''Nurse Jackie''); Eva Longoria, above left (''Desperate Housewives''); Robert and Michelle King (''The Good Wife''); Shonda Rhimes, above center, and Sandra Oh (''Grey's Anatomy''); and Diablo Cody, above right (''United States of Tara.'').

9 A.M. (CNN) STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY David Axelrod, an Obama campaign adviser, discusses the strategy to get the president re-elected. Also, Representative Ron Paul, Republican of Texas, talks about his presidential aspirations and his Republican rivals. On ''Fareed Zakaria GPS,'' at 10, the French philosopher Bernard-Henri L?, who pushed President Nicolas Sarkozy of France to urge NATO intervention in Libya, discusses that country's revolution and whether the death of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was justified.

10 A.M. (ABC) THIS WEEK WITH CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR Ms. Amanpour talks with Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota about her efforts to return to the top of the pack of Republican presidential contenders, including her 11-point ''American Jobs, Right Now'' plan. Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and chairman, discusses taxing the rich, improving American education and why wealthy nations need to continue to give aid to the world's poorest countries, even in these times of economic austerity. He also reflects on his competitive 30-year friendship with Steve Jobs.

10:30 A.M. (NBC) MEET THE PRESS David Plouffe, a White House senior adviser, talks about President Obama's new campaign theme, ''We can't wait''; proposed measures to help troubled homeowners and students; and the president's case against the Republican Party.

7 P.M. (CBS) 60 MINUTES In their first interview about Bernard L. Madoff, who is serving 150 years in prison for running the largest Ponzi scheme in history, Mr. Madoff's wife, Ruth, and his son Andrew speak with Morley Safer about how Mr. Madoff confessed his crimes to them, their reaction and the family strife that has followed in the last three years, including Bernard and Ruth's suicide attempt and the suicide last December of their son Mark. ''I don't know whose idea it was, but we decided to kill ourselves because it was so horrendous, what was happening,'' Ms. Madoff tells Mr. Safer. ''We had terrible phone calls. Hate mail, just beyond anything, and I said, 'I just can't go on anymore.' '' The interviews coincide with the publication on Monday of ''Truth and Consequences: Life Inside the Madoff Family'' by Laurie Sandell.

8 P.M. (Fox) THE SIMPSONS In ''Treehouse of Horror XXII,'' below, Homer gets his arm caught in a boulder after tumbling into an isolated canyon, where a spider bite leaves him paralyzed but able to communicate by way of natural gases. To the rescue: Aron Ralston (voicing himself), the hiker whose real-life amputation of his own arm became the basis for Danny Boyle's film ''127 Hours.'' Meanwhile in this annual Halloween episode, Bart and Milhouse enter deep space, where they're transformed into one-eyed avatars and caught in the middle of planetary warfare after Bart falls in love. And Ned Flanders, a devout preacher by day, turns into a cold-blooded vigilante by night. In ''Allen Gregory,'' a new animated series at 8:30, Jonah Hill lends his voice to Allen Gregory De Longpre, a 7-year-old who, when he looks in the mirror, sees not a child but a young man who has composed operas, written novels and dated Chlo?evigny. But his biggest challenge yet just may be his first day at a public elementary school. French Stewart is Richard, Allen Gregory's father; Nat Faxon is Jeremy, Richard's life partner; and Joy Osmanski is Julie, their snarky adopted daughter from Cambodia. It's just one big unhappy family in an architecturally stunning loft. KATHRYN SHATTUCK